Introduction to Henry IV, Part 1

Introduction

Henry IV, Part 1 is the second part of a tetralogy Known as the “Henriad” Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 & Henry V Richard II – Henry (Bolingbroke) has had a hand in the

murder of King Richard II, and vows to go to Jerusalem to cleanse himself of this sin

Introduction to Henry IV, Part 1 from the playmakers

Henry IV, pt 1Genealogy

Edward III

Edward , theBlack Prince

Richard II

Duke ofClarence

Duke ofLancaster

Henry IV

HAL

daughterMortimernamed heirby Richard

Mortimer’s sisLady Percy

Hotspur

Henry IV, pt 1Rebellion in Act 1, sc 1

Henry IV, pt 1Rebellion in Act 5

Henry IV, pt 1Structure

Act I -- first turning point Hotspur, North, Wor desert Henry and join rebels

Act II - IV -- two sides gather allies

midpoint Hal joins Henry

ends in 2nd turning point Hotspur lists grievances against Henry

Act V -- climax Douglas vs. Henry, Hal vs. Hotspur

Henry IV, pt 1 Main plot/subplot structure

Henry IV

Hotspur

Falstaff

Hal

1.1 1.3

1.1 1.3

1.2 2.1 2.2

1.2 2.1 2.2

3.2

3.2

2.3

2.4 3.3

3.1

2.4

4.2 5.1 5.3 5.4 5.5

4.2 5.1 5.3 5.4

4.1 4.3 5.2 5.4

5.1 5.3 5.5

Hal

Henry

Hotspur

Falstaff

COURT

TAVERN

BATTLEFIELD

Henry IV, pt 1Foils Hal / Hotspur as characters Henry / Falstaff -- father figures Falstaff (staff/foot) vs. Hotspur (spur/horse)

compare particularly views on Honor represent different kinds of exaggeration

Hotspur lives in world of abstractions Falstaff in concrete world

Hotspur attacks Glendower; Hal just humorously exposes Falstaff’s exaggerations. Hotspur is intolerant; Hal is tolerant.

Action foiling -- fewer men w/Hotspur, more w/Henry 2 views of the battlefield (4.1 & 4.2)

Henry IV, pt 1 Three Worlds

Court Tavern BattlefieldHenry IV Falstaff Hotspur

HAL

past present future

Food for thought1. We should trust our leaders to do what is right for the country’s

greater good.2. It is always better to abide by social codes of behavior (e.g. honor

and chivalry) than to reject them.3. Every society occasionally requires war and revolt in order to grow

and become stronger.4. Children should always respect and obey their parents.5. A good leader is bold and fearless, always ready to use whatever

military means are at his disposal in order to accomplish his objectives.

6. A good leader is sober and thoughtful, willing to compromise his own views in order to respect the views of others so that peace can be maintained.

7. Gender makes a difference when it comes to effective leadership.

Your group will be assigned one of the “food for thought statements”

For the statement assigned to you, complete the following Example Statement: We should trust our leaders to do what is

right for the country’s greater good… because … except that … for example …

Be prepared to share your statement

The humors The four humors? “Sanguine”: an excess of blood; makes one cheerful,

optimistic. “Melancholy” – an excess of black bile; makes one gloomy,

pessimistic. “Choleric” or bilious: an excess of yellow bile in the gall

bladder; makes one angry and short tempered. “Phlegmatic”: an excess of phlegm; makes one slow and

lethargic. Derives originally from Hippocrates, the Greek physician and

medical writer.

Air – associated with sanguine personality.

Earth – associated with melancholy personality.

Fire – associated with choleric personality.

Water – associated with phlegmatic personality.

Humours in Henry IV, Part 1

Hotspur Angered by the “certain

lord, neat and trimly dressed”

Anger over king’s demand for Scots prisoners

Anger over Mortimer Worcester and Hotspur: I,

3, 253ff.

Falstaff “What a devil hast thou to

do with the time of day?” Relentless inactivity